


Tomorrow Isn't Promised

by Serpentine_Slytherin



Category: Big Bang (Band), Super Junior
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 21:04:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2323124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serpentine_Slytherin/pseuds/Serpentine_Slytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Siwon has heard all the fairy tales in the world. But nothing can prepare him for this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Siwon was lost. Completely and utterly lost.

He had been out here for hours and still he couldn’t tell one tree from the next, each path into the wood looking exactly the same as the others. He could no longer use the sun as a means of telling direction, night having fallen an hour or so ago. He was lucky the stars decided to make an appearance, the moon giving off a glow, causing silvery light to fall over the trees. Had Siwon been less afraid he would’ve stopped and enjoyed the beauty of the scene more, the innocence of the glade.  
  
He was okay in admitting to himself he was afraid; he had been out here in the foreign land since mid-morning and he was no closer to finding a way out than he was earlier in the day. He had opted to take the wooded area, having been told it was a shortcut to the other side of town and he had been in a hurry. However, as soon as he entered the wood, the paths had become tangled and confusing, causing him to become hopelessly lost. He had wandered, trying to use his minimal survival skills he learned from nature shows on television he sometimes watched to find a way out, only to prove to himself how abysmal his sense of direction was. On top of that, it seemed the paths he had taken previously, disappeared into nothingness. He would leave one path to come onto another, then turn and find his previous one gone, no evidence of it ever having been there. He wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating or something more sinister was happening behind his back.  
  
So now Siwon was not only afraid, but confused beyond belief. He didn’t like these woods, no matter how lovely and picturesque they looked because they still had the vibe of the unknown, and Siwon disliked being left out on something. His whole journey in this forest was unknown and foreign and it was doing nothing to calm the man’s anxiety.  
  
After having spent a couple hours in the grove, he started noticing strange things; stranger than the disappearing paths. He was almost certain he was seeing animals that didn’t exist, hearing noises that he had never heard anything make before and smelling scents that didn’t make sense, adding to his hallucination theory. Siwon had become visibly shaken after coming across something that he could only describe as a tiny dragon around lunch time. He had thought it was a normal lizard, albeit brightly colored and oddly shaped but nothing too out of the ordinary. Until it flapped large, reptilian wings and flew at him. He would never admit to anybody the shriek that came out of his mouth, loud, piercing and rather girly. He had ducked and cowered as he watched the small but majestic dragon-lizard thing fly into the sky, the sun playing off of the shades of orange and yellow in its scales.  
  
After he had calmed down, he had wandered towards a stream, hoping maybe he could find a way out if he followed it. He had become optimistic after walking alongside the gently flowing water, coming across a clearing. He had to squint as he looked around, the sun glaring of the water’s surface and making things too bright but what he saw startled him. He couldn’t be sure due to his lack of visibility, but it looked like there were kids playing in the clearing, but they didn’t look completely normal. In fact, while their upper bodies looked everything like a human child’s body should look, bare and hairless, the bottom half is what startled Siwon into stillness; they seemed to have the legs of a goat. He had blinked hard, rubbed his eyes and shook his head to clear out any lingering weirdness and looked again, but he could now clearly see seven or eight beings running around on hairy legs that ended in black hooves. He had tried running away as far as possible, but he tripped and landed on his backside rather hard, alerting the creatures to his presence. He stared wide-eyed as they noticed him, cocking their heads in his direction as they paused their game. Siwon was able to gather his wits about him when it looked like one of them was going to come over to him, having scrambled to his feet and taking off deeper into the wooded area.  
  
He realized in hindsight that maybe that hadn’t been the best idea, because he was lost now more than ever. He had tried finding the path to the stream again, but it was gone without a trace. It was at that point he had slumped to the ground in exhaustion and frustration, resting against a tree and leaning his head back. That’s when he noticed just how different these woods were; the leaves on the trees were varying shades of pink and purple on some, blue and green on others. He didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed that a lot sooner, but he had taken this time to look around really well, taking full awareness of his surroundings. It wasn’t just the trees that were weird either, Siwon was noticing flowers and plants he had never seen before, whether in life or in a magazine or on the internet. Granted, he wasn’t a horticulturist or plant expert by any means, but he was pretty sure these plants did not exist in real life.  
  
So did that mean he was actually dreaming? That he hadn’t really woken up to go to work, or that he had never actually stepped foot in these strange trees at all? With that thought, he had placed his fingers on his arm, pinching hard only to jump and yelp in pain. So then it wasn’t a dream? He had definitely felt the pinch on his arm, rubbing the sore spot. That brought him back to the whole hallucination theory. Maybe someone slipped something into his morning coffee that morning and he was really lying on his office floor while his subordinates watched him make an idiot out of himself. He had noticed his secretary becoming increasingly annoyed with him as he had started increasing her work load, but was that reason enough for her to drug him? Probably not. The longer he sat contemplating what kind of drugs cause vivid, brightly colored illusions, the more exhausted he became and before he knew it, he was sleeping against the tree he rested upon, his thoughts turning into actual dreams.  
  
He had been woken abruptly by a loud wail that echoed around the forest, causing him to jump to his feet in fear, thinking he was under attack. When he saw it was just a brightly colored bird flying overhead, he calmed a bit, only to tense up again when he noticed darkness had fallen around him. He didn’t know how long he’d been asleep but he felt it was definitely for too long as he took inventory of his surroundings once more. Everything had a soft, silvery glow from the full moon overhead and the overly large stars, giving the surroundings a completely new look from earlier today. Siwon frowned as he gazed at the sky, never having seen the stars looking so big in his life, but enjoying the view nonetheless. He decided to not waste any more time and started trekking through the woods once more, hoping to come across an exit anywhere, as long as it was by civilized life.   
  
********  
  
“Kyu! Kyu!” a voice called out as a blur whirred past, skidding to a halt and cantering back towards the group. The one called Kyu, or Kyuhyun looked up and smiled at the fawn, motioning for him to come closer.  
  
“What is it Taemin?” Kyuhyun asked, circling an arm around the young fawn. The boy looked at him with large, shining eyes and a broad grin.  
  
“There is a human here!” Taemin chirped, causing the group surrounding them to stop abruptly and turns towards the pair.  
  
“What did you say young one?” one of the other males, Heechul asked, looking leaning towards the other two. Taemin offered a small, embarrassed smile as he realized he interrupted a meeting of the Elders, but repeated himself once more.  
  
“There is a human here, stumbling around the woods. We saw him when we were playing” the young one offered, looking around as the Elders all donned looks of surprise.  
  
“You’re sure it was a human?” Kyuhyun asked, aware of the boy’s ambition for storytelling. As the younger fawn nodded, another voice chimed in.  
  
“It was most definitely a human, all of us saw him. I went to try to talk to him, but he ran off” Minho explained, him and a few other fawns joining the group, nodding as Minho relayed the information.  
  
“Wow, a human! We haven’t had a human in the woods since your Seunghyun” another Elder, Sungmin called to Seungri, who was the youngest of the Elders. Seungri blushed softly, remembering when Seunghyun joined them years and years ago to stay by his side.  
  
“Did you happen to see where he went?” Kyuhyun asked the fawns and they nodded.  
  
“He took off towards the Tree of Amhlaidh*” Another fawn, Ryeowook sounded. The Elders nodded in understanding, chattering amongst themselves as the fawns grew excited.  
  
“Can we go look for him?” Taemin asked, the other young ones becoming animated at the sound of adventure.  
  
“No, besides you all have class in ten minutes” Kyuhyun answered and was met with noises of opposition and disappointment from the fawns.  
  
“Do not worry boys, we’ll find him for you” Jungsoo, the head Elder said, smiling kindly at the overly excited ones. The fawns continued chattering incessantly as Sungmin led them towards the healers so they could carry on with their lessons.  
  
“I wonder how a human got into the wood” Heechul pondered, looking towards Jungsoo, who was at least a century older than the rest of the Elders.  
  
“I can’t be too sure as not many have come across our path” Jungsoo answered and the Elders nodded in understanding. It was not a new thing for humans to wander into their world but it only happened once every fifty years maybe. In Kyuhyun’s lifetime and he was quite old in human years, but still young in Fae years, he had only met three humans; two of them still lived among them to this day. He had heard tales from Jungsoo and other Elders before him of other humans who come wandering in, but it was rare for them to stay. The first human Kyuhyun had met was only in the wood for a few days, having been helped out by a friendly Fairy named Sulli. The human had come across the Elders and only stayed for a day or two and then demanded to be brought back to his world.  
  
The second human he had met was named Kangin and the larger, brutish man still lived with them to this day. He had come into the wood eighty-four years ago and stayed ever since. Jungsoo had been taken with the human, and Kangin had been taken with the lead Elder as well. It had only taken four years until Kangin agreed to be bound to the Elder in Consortium, the Fae version of marriage and once a human is bound to a Fae in Consortium, they become other-worldly as well. Kangin was now the Master of Warriors, assigned to teach the young ones about fighting skills and survival.  
  
The third and final human Kyuhyun had met was Seunghyun, who was mated to Seungri. He had come into their lives forty-one years ago. His case was different from the first human and Kangin’s because Seunghyun had initially left the wood, being escorted out by Sulli. Seungri had become quite fond of the man and had grown rather distraught when he left. However, as Seunghyun was trying to live his normal human life once again, he was involved in what he called a car accident. The creatures of the wood had no idea what cars were, but they sounded awful. Seunghyun had apparently wished to be back in Seungri’s arms as he’d drawn his last breath and died on the scene of the accident. The human helpers had brought a dead Seunghyun to a human healing center, where they stored him in the place of the dead. But when the head human went to autopsy, or cut Seunghyun open, he found he was not in his locker. Seunghyun had somehow made his way back to Seungri, injury free and exactly how he was when he left the glade.  
  
Kyuhyun had watched happily as the two were then joined in Consortium right away, opting to not wait like Kangin and Jungsoo. The Elders, as well as the young ones had been intrigued by Seunghyun’s story and Seungri had wept when he learned his mate had been dead before returning. Kyuhyun had asked Jungsoo about it and the Elder’s theory was that the glade called forth to Seunghyun to ultimately save his life and reunite him to his mate, Seungri.  
  
It was also through Seunghyun they learned of the time differences between the human world and their world. While it had seemed like Seunghyun had only been gone for months, it turns out it was years in the human world. Seunghyun had told them that he had been away from Seungri for seven years, but it only equaled three months to the Fae. Jungsoo was also immensely curious to see that while Seunghyun should’ve aged, he looked exactly the same as he had the day he left them with the exception of the weird, backless gown he was wearing.  
  
The thought of another human amongst them got the Elders excited and Kyuhyun found himself wanting to search for him. He noticed the other Elders thought along the same lines as Jungsoo started issuing instructions to all of them. It was their job to find this human and make sure he was safe and out of harm’s way. They were not called the Elders just for the fun of it, they were the leaders of the sects of the forests and they were responsible for everyone’s safety. After receiving the instructions of whom searches where from Jungsoo, the Elders set out towards the Pegai stables, ready to commence their search. Kangin and Seunghyun were fascinated by the Pegai at first, calling them winged horses.  
  
Kyuhyun found his Pegai sleeping peacefully in his enclosure and didn’t want to wake him up.  
  
“Kai, wake up, we have an adventure to go on!” Kyuhyun called softly, watching as the Pegai rose his head, blinking blearily at him. Kyuhyun cooed to him some more, satisfied when the beast finally woke up all the way and stood, waiting for Kyuhyun to dress him, alerting Kyuhyun to the fact he needed to take the other for a reward later. Kai was one of Kyuhyun’s favorite companions in the whole forest and the two of them went on many outings and adventures together. Kyuhyun watched as his friend shook himself, his black mane flying around and settling in a way that made the Fae giggle. Kai just gave him a look and Kyuhyun took it to mean to start dressing him. He grabbed the riding saddle and wrested it onto Kai’s thick, shiny black back, tightening the straps around the belly and wings.  
  
Kai was an abnormal Pegai amongst the others as he was only one, solid color. It was rare to see a Pegai in only one shade, especially one as dark as Kai. Most Pegai had spots or multiple shades, but Kai was black as night with a long, silky black mane. Another thing that made Kai different was his eyes; they were a bright, clear silver that almost glowed. Most Pegai had brown, black or sometimes green eyes, but Kai was clearly different from the others. Jungsoo had told him that Kai looked the way he did because of the way he was born; Kai was born out of hate and fear, rather than love and acceptance. The Fae all knew that the way a Pegai was shaped and formed was due to the way it was born.  
  
For example, Heechul’s Pegai, Hangeng had been born in love and recognition, causing him to be a majestic shade of grey with a fantastic white mane and green eyes. Kai had been born out of hate and fear, his mother having been raped and then abused by Kai’s father, causing him to look so different from the other Pegai. Kyuhyun had felt for the other when they had first met and immediately wanted the Pegai to become his loyal steed and Kai had agreed, thankful something loved him for once. Kai had been with Kyuhyun for close to a hundred years now and they had developed an understanding; if Kyuhyun awoke Kai for any reason, the Fae had to treat him to a bath in the Spiritual Waters. It was not often the Pegai got to go to the wonderful bath house, so they took full advantage of when they could wrangle a visit from a Fae.  
  
“Don’t give me that look; I’ll take you to the waters tomorrow!” Kyuhyun told Kai, settling onto his back and making himself comfortable on the saddle. He ran his hand through Kai’s mane, focusing on making the connection with his Pegai.  
  
What adventure are we going on? Why are all the Elders going as well? Is everything all right?  
  
Kyuhyun smiled as Kai fired question after question at him as soon as their connection was made, having missed the other greatly. Kyuhyun had been busy with Elder duties and hadn’t seen Kai in quite a few days.  
  
“Everything is fine. The fawns saw a human in the woods heading towards the Tree of Amhlaidh and we need to go find him and make sure he is safe” Kyuhyun explained as Kai turned and followed the other Elders and Pegai out of the stables. Kai grew interested in their upcoming adventure, humans causing great curiosity in the Pegai as well. As they exited the stable, Kyuhyun led Kai in a different direction other than the Tree.  
  
I thought you said he went to the Tree of Amhlaidh.  
  
“Yes but Jungsoo wants us to search west of that, in case he has wondered off.”  
  
Kai huffed out and took off, smirking slightly as Kyuhyun let out a shriek of surprise.   
  
******  
  
Siwon was already tired again, having wandered for another hour or so. He was starting to think he was never going to make it out of this damned forest and he kicked a rock in his frustration. He paced around, grumbling to himself in irritation until he heard a strange noise. It sounded like hooves on the ground, followed by a whooshing sound. Siwon looked around carefully; ready to fight for his life against some sort of monster.  
  
“You are one hard human to track down” a voice called out, followed by more whooshing sounds. Siwon looked up to the sky, hearing the voice from there and almost fainted at what he saw: it looked to be a flying horse with someone riding it. The horse landed by him and its rider dismounted, making his way towards Siwon. Siwon stared wide-eyed and started backing up, trying to scramble away from the stranger.  
  
“Whoa, hey there! It’s okay; I’m not going to hurt you” the stranger called out, holding up his palms in a sign of peace. Siwon stopped and watched warily as the figure approached him and then gasped softly; the being before him was utterly beautiful. He was a bit shorter than Siwon, had black, messy hair and a well-built physique. His eyes glowed brightly in the night, a calming sea green color and Siwon marveled at how the stranger before him seemed to emit a soft glow of sorts, adding to his beauty. When the stranger felt like Siwon wouldn’t attack him, he continued talking.  
  
“I’m Seungri and I’m here to help you. What’s your name?” The figure called to him and Siwon was taken aback by the lyrical voice coming from the stranger.  
  
“I’m Siwon” he found himself answering and was taken aback at the grin flashing on Seungri’s face.  
  
“Hello Siwon! I bet you’re tired, I can bring you to the city center and get you some food and then a place to sleep?” Seungri offered in his most calming voice, not wanting to spook the human. He used his experience with Seunghyun to draw inspiration from and it seemed to be working.  
  
“City center?” Siwon asked, hoping this glowing man could help him out. Seungri nodded and motioned for Siwon to follow him. Siwon stepped towards him, his attention drawn back to the flying horse.  
  
“Don’t worry, Youngbae is perfectly well behaved” Seungri commented, waving towards the winged horse. That wasn’t Siwon’s greatest worry, but it calmed him nonetheless. Something about being in this stranger’s presence made him feel at ease and like he could trust the other. Seungri mounted Youngbae and offered a hand to Siwon to help pull him up.  
  
“Hold on tight” Seungri called back as Siwon wrapped his arms around the man’s waist. Just as he got situated, the other man made a howling noise and the horse took off into the air, flapping its large, feathery wings. Siwon let out a yell of surprise and clutched at Seungri’s waist tighter, fearing his life. As they flew upward and onwards, Seungri let loose another loud, wailing sound that echoed through the forest at an inhumane decibel, the echoes lasting longer than they normally should.  
  
“Uh, what was that?” Siwon called out, fearing for the man’s sanity and his own safety at being with him. Seungri let out a small laugh.  
  
“I was alerting the others that I found you and you are safe. We’ve been looking for you for quite some time now” Seungri informed him, steering Youngbae into a dive and Siwon gripped him harder yet. They pulled out of the dive and landed a lot smoother than Siwon thought possible and Seungri helped him dismount. As he got off of the flying horse, he saw others landing and dismounting by them. He grew nervous once again as he saw more strangers, just as beautiful as Seungri enclose on them.  
  
“Hello, I’m Jungsoo, the Lead Elder here” one said, coming towards him and bowing slightly. He was much shorter than Siwon but had an aged grace about him that Siwon found himself respecting.  
  
“Er, I’m Siwon” he introduced himself once more, looking around at all the glowing figures. Jungsoo smiled at him.  
  
“I know you’re probably very confused, but let’s get you inside and get some food first, and then we’ll explain everything” the leader suggested and Siwon suddenly found himself starving. He nodded in agreement and followed the others, lagging behind a bit.  
  
“There’s no need to be afraid” a soft voice said behind him and Siwon turned to meet the dark blue eyes the most beautiful being he’d ever laid eyes on, including these other strangers.  
  
“How did you-?”  
  
“I can read the emotions of others fairly well” the stranger interrupted with a small smirk. Siwon just nodded for lack of anything else to do.  
  
“I’m Kyuhyun and please don’t worry too much, we’re a peaceful people” the beautiful man introduced and Siwon found himself saying Kyuhyun’s name over and over again in his head. A beautiful name for a lovely creature, Siwon thought.  
  
“I’m not worried anymore” and it was true as he gazed upon Kyuhyun’s relaxed face smiling at him. This man could be leading Siwon to his death, but the other didn’t care as long as he continued to look at him like he was the most fascinating thing in the universe.

And to Kyuhyun, Siwon was the most fascinating thing and he couldn’t wait to explore this human further.


	2. Chapter 2

Siwon was sitting in stunned silence, looking around so fast that the two other humans were sure he was going to give himself whiplash. They were in a large, vast hall of sorts that was decorated delicatley. There were many symbols adorning the walls and tables that Siwon didn't understand but still found beautiful. Seunghyun and Kangin hadn’t introduced themselves to this Siwon yet, preferring to sit back and observe for the time being. Seunghyun had been proud of his mate for finding the other first, knowing that Seungri often doubted his tracking skills. He watched as his Fae was dancing around delightedly with Sungmin and Heechul, two other Elders.  
  
“You must be proud” Kangin stated, nodding his head towards the group of dancing Fae. Seunghyun gave his fellow human a small smile before nodding.  
  
“I am quite proud of him, but I hope he is proud of himself as well” Seunghyun remarked, taking a sip of the berried wine in his glass. Kangin agreed, knowing from what Jungsoo told him that the youngest Elder doubted himself in a lot of areas.  
  
“What are your thoughts on the new human, Siwon did they say his name was?” Kangin asked and Seunghyun gave an affirmative noise.  
  
“I’m not sure what to think of him yet. He is certainly taken by this world already” they both snickered to themselves as they watched Siwon’s head turn in every direction, never settling on something for too long.  
  
“Jungsoo and I have noticed something as well” Kangin whispered conspiratorially, causing Seunghyun to have to lean closer to the other man.  
  
“Pray tell, what is that?” he asked, his eyes glinting in amusement. Kangin indulged the other human with a smile.  
  
“It seems this man can’t take his eyes off of a certain Fae” he answered and Seunghyun raised his brows in surprise. He glanced at the foreign human once again, trying to see who the man focused on the most. Unfortunately his gaze was now locked on the group of dancing Fae, where there were at least twelve in a bunch, huddled together as they danced the night away.  
  
“Please tell me it’s not Seungri” Seunghyun pleaded quietly, not wanting to have such handsome competition for his adorable mate. Kangin let out a booming laugh, drawing the attention of several other beings. Seunghyun punched him lightly, motioning him to get on with it.  
  
“It’s not your precious Seungri. It seems this human has taken quite a liking to Kyuhyun” the elder human snickered, watching as quite relief flooded the other man’s face. Kangin had learned to read Seunghyun’s subtle emotions well, having been the only two humans in this world. They naturally bonded and grew close to each other, finding company in one another especially when there where Elder meetings.  
  
“Well Kyuhyun is definitely a looker, that’s for sure” Seunghyun commented, looking towards the group once again, smiling when he saw Seungri enjoying himself.  
  
“Ah, but is he worthy of our Kyuhyun?” Kangin asked and Seunghyun frowned at him.  
  
“We don’t even know if this man will stay” the other commented, gesturing minutely to the stranger. Kangin gave a secret smile.  
  
“Something tells me he just might want too.”  
  
***  
  
“Hello” a voice called out to Siwon, causing the man to turn and see two men standing near his table.  
  
“Hello” he answered quietly, not liking the looks of the two before him. They looked tall, dark and a tad too menacing for his liking.  
  
“May we sit?” the larger one asked, gesturing to the empty seats around him and Siwon nodded, watching them as they made themselves comfortable.  
  
“I’m Kangin” the larger one introduced himself shortly, offering a hand to Siwon. He shook it, taking notice of the man’s strong grip.  
  
“Seunghyun” the other, taller man said, shaking Siwon’s hand as well.  
  
“I’m Siwon, it’s nice to meet you” he replied, hoping to ease the tension a bit. He felt like he was at his girlfriend’s house; getting ready to take her to prom all over again, sitting in the living room with her less than happy father.  
  
“How are you finding everything?” Seunghyun asked, gesturing to the large spread of food laid on the table before them. Siwon gulped nervously as the man’s stern cat-like eyes stared at him in an unrelenting fashion.  
  
“It’s good. Foreign and something I’m definitely not used to, but good” Siwon answered and Seunghyun was satisfied with the answer. It was like the two men were waiting for Siwon to slip up so that they can cast their vote against him. It wasn’t their fault, they were just protective of their world, knowing how some humans would want to exploit it and harm the people here. Seunghyun would absolutely not allow any harm to come to Seungri, whether physical or emotional and if this stranger threatened that, Seunghyun would not hesitate to take him out.  
  
Kangin felt similar to Seunghyun, being here longer than the other human. He was attached to this world and all of the beings in it, holding a special favoritism towards the head Elder. Kangin had been this way when Seunghyun had first shown up, and it was only after he came back and told them all his tale that he accepted the other deserved to be there. Jungsoo had relayed tales to him of humans before him that had stumbled across their world and wanted nothing more than to bring scientists and explorers. Kangin was happy to learn that once the humans had left, they were never able to find their way back. Jungsoo had offered his thoughts on that matter, saying he thought their forest had a cloaking device, a shield of sorts to protect itself and the inhabitants from wrong doing against them. Kangin could do nothing but trust the other, knowing he had way more life experience than he, being over seven-hundred years old.  
  
Siwon was aware that the other men were testing him, deciding on how to handle him, so he decided to see if he could get information out of them, seeing as the other beings were busy enjoying a celebration of some sort.  
  
“So um, I have a quick question: Where am I?” he asked, hoping the other two would stop their examination of him and answer some of his questions. While he was utterly fascinated by this world and the beings it contained, he was also scared and worried about where he was and if he’d ever be able to get home. Seunghyun and Kangin exchanged looks and then gazed towards the dancing mass, deciding the Fae were having too much fun right now to deal with a strange human.  
  
“You’re in Ixobre” Seunghyun answered and Siwon was growing frustrated. The name alone told him nothing of where he was, or what kind of people he was dealing with.  
  
“I researched it when I had gone back to the human world and apparently it used to once be a great, ancient Gaelic city in the mountains. It had disappeared and no one knew why. Well, now we know” Seunghyun added, grabbing another glass of the almost too sweet wine.  
  
“Really, I didn’t know that” Kangin said, interested in his friend’s tale. Seunghyun made a noise.  
  
“It slipped my mind. I was just happy to be back” Seunghyun told his friend, who nodded in understanding. Time passed differently here; Years seemed like mere months, months like days and soon Kangin had been here for eighty-four years. Plus the fact that he no longer aged added to the whole time thing, so he could easily forgive his friend.  
  
“Why have I found it now then? I have never seen or heard of it before. And everything is so different here and I’ve seen creatures that can’t possible exist. If it’s so easily stumbled upon, why haven’t scientists found it and explored this world?” Siwon spouted, not noticing the deep frowns now etched into the other two’s faces. They didn’t like that the stranger had already mentioned scientists in the new conversation.  
  
“Ixobre has a life of its own so it does what it needs to, to protect itself and the beings that live here. The Elders seem to think the forest will show itself to someone it thinks is worthy, but will quickly expel someone who bears false claims or wants to do something to hurt the beings inside. That is why no scientist or explorer has found it and that’s why when a human comes in with ill intentions, they are never able to find it again” Kangin explained, giving Siwon a look of warning while using the knowledge Jungsoo had given them. He didn’t want to tell this human, but he knew the Elders would tell him anyway.  
  
Seunghyun did not elaborate that if even a human deemed worthy left, they couldn’t come back until the forest deemed they were ready. He had searched for the forest for several years after he left, but was only able to return when he truly believed it was where he belonged the whole time.  
  
“You guys keep saying ‘humans,’ are you not human?” Siwon asked, eyeing the pair with trepidation.  
  
“We used to be” Seunghyun muttered, taking pleasure at the bewildered look to grace the stranger’s face. Kangin snickered at his friend and nudged him with his elbow.  
  
“What do you mean ‘used to be?’ Are you vampires or something?!” Siwon asked, alarmed at the answers he was being given. He didn’t even know if they were telling him the truth, but it was better than any other explanation he could come up with himself.  
  
“Well we were human when we first came, and I guess we still are to an extent. When we took part in our Consortiums, the forest granted us an immortality of sorts like the Fae-“Seunghyun started, but was interrupted.  
  
“You lost him” Kangin snickered, noticing the look of loss and confusion on Siwon’s face. Seunghyun sighed.  
  
“It’s not my fault, I’ve never had to explain it to someone before!” the younger of the pair exclaimed, frustrated at just how much detail they were going to have to go into.  
  
“Okay, let’s start with the Fae. That’s them, over there” Seunghyun retorted, pointing to the dancing mass. Siwon nodded, but still looked questioningly at the pair. Kangin understood the look.  
  
“Fae are derived from Fairies I guess, they are human looking and have a human nature, but are supernatural at the same time. They are practically immortal, living for thousands of years until they are either killed or their mate is killed, and then they may choose to follow their mate. Jungsoo for instance, is the head Elder and he is going to be seven-hundred and fifty two this year and is still considered quite young. He is by far not the oldest Fae, but he is the oldest Elder. Yes I know, confusing. Anyway, the Fae all have some sort of magical power I guess is one way to describe it” Kangin started, motioning for Seunghyun to chime in at any time.  
  
“Each Fae is different in which powers and abilities they possess” Seunghyun spoke, gesturing about. “For instance, Seungri, the one who found you, is quite adept in healing. He is however, no so good at hunting and tracking, which is why they are celebrating.”  
  
“Because he found me?” Siwon clarified, and the duo nodded in unison.  
  
“Yes, they like to celebrate when one of them succeeds on something they are poor at. But while he may be poor at tracking, I have seen him mend broken bones and stitch together wounds in record time, healing them just as quickly” Seunghyun stated proudly and Kangin smirked at his friend.  
  
“You seem rather fond of Seungri” Siwon commented, seeing a softer look replace the harsher ones when he spoke of the Fae.  
  
“That’s because they are mated in Consortium, as I am with Jungsoo” Kangin answered for his friend.  
  
“Er, what?” Siwon asked, never hearing of that word before.  
  
“It’s the Fae version of marriage. However, when a Fae participates in Consortium with a human, that human is granted similar qualities of a Fae; like the immortality and the cool glowing” Seunghyun spoke this time, a soft smile playing about his features.  
  
“So then, how old are you?” Siwon asked, because they did not look much older than him.  
  
“I am one hundred and twelve, while Seunghyun is sixty-seven” Kangin answered for them, looking to Seunghyun for clarification. The other nodded along, impressed his friend remembered. Siwon just stared at them, not sure how to handle or to believe this situation.  
  
“We know it’s a lot to take in. Do you have any other questions?” Kangin asked, watching the emotions play on Siwon’s face. The man looked at them and nodded a bit.  
  
“Is- is Kyuhyun in Consortium with anyone?” Siwon questioned quietly, embarrassed for asking. He didn’t know what it was about the Fae, but the other intrigued him far more than the others. Kangin snickered and threw an “I told you so” look to Seunghyun, who smirked as well.  
  
“No he isn’t. He is as free as a bird” the older answered, taking note of the slight glee on the man’s face.  
  
“Kyuhyun mentioned that he can feel what others are feeling?” Siwon asked for clarification, wanting to learn as much as he could about the other. Seunghyun nodded.  
  
“That’s the simple way of putting in. Kyuhyun is what we call an Empath: he has the ability to feel out people and a situation as well as manipulate the feelings. For instance, if one is feeling sad he can come in and make them feel happy. Or if a situation becomes tense, he’ll step in to calm everyone down. He is really a life saver, using that ability to stave off brutal fights” the younger of the duo offered and Siwon was in awe. No wonder he had no longer felt nervous when first stepping inside the vast hall they were currently in.  
  
“How old is he?” Siwon wanted to know, wondering if he too was hundreds of years old. Kangin did not disappoint him.  
  
“He just turned four hundred and six” and Siwon looked towards said Fae. The being looked even younger than him, not like a centuries old supernatural being. Kyuhyun seemed to sense he was being watched and looked towards the gathered humans, smiling at them. Siwon’s breath was taken away at the smile and he wondered if Kyuhyun also possessed the ability to be absolutely beautiful in any sense of the word. At Siwon’s sides, the other two were prodding each other, watching Siwon’s face as he gazed at the Fae.  
  
“Why do they seem to emit a glow of sorts?” Siwon asked, referring to the soft light that came from all of them, making them look ethereal and even lovelier.  
  
“It’s because of how pure they are” Kangin answered, taking this time to admire his own Fae, whom he had locked eyes with. Jungsoo gave his mate a charming smile and waved, causing the burly man to smile back.  
  
“They are such an innocent race, never having gone to war nor believing in violence. That doesn’t mean things can’t get violent around here, it just means they are quick to forgive and forget. They view their world with such simplicity, putting the forest’s needs before theirs” Seunghyun added, eyes searching for his own mate. Siwon watched as the man’s eyes lit up when Seungri detached himself from the crowd, making his way over. Siwon may have been afraid of Seunghyun, if not liking him altogether, but he had to admit that the man became almost docile as he gazed at his approaching Fae.  
  
“Ri” the man called out, extending his hand and grasping the Fae’s own, pulling him to him and sitting the smaller being on his lap. Seungri blushed, but snuggled into his mate, enjoying the warmth he exuded. Siwon felt a sort of envy as he watched the two become closer and coo silently at each other, having always wanted a relationship just like that. His attention was then drawn to Kangin, who now had the lead Elder pulling him up to join in the dancing. Feeling uncomfortable at being left alone with the other two, Siwon got up and moved a couple tables away to an empty one, giving Seunghyun his privacy to celebrate with Seungri.  
  
“So are you two done interrogating the poor man?” Seungri asked, grinning as Seunghyun nuzzled his nose by his ear.  
  
“Mm, he seems to have a thing for Kyuhyun” Seunghyun muttered, taking pleasure at the small noises coming out of his mate’s mouth as he nipped at a pointed ear. Another thing the humans thought utterly adorable of all the Fae. They had the cliché pointed ears like elfs in Christmas movies.  
  
“Well then, would it interest you to know that Kyuhyun is quite fascinated with him as well?” Seungri questioned, giggling as his lover pulled away and stared at him in shock, and then narrowing his eyes.  
  
“We haven’t deemed if he’s good enough yet” the man pouted and Seungri kissed him lightly, surprising the human.  
  
“I love that you’re so protective of us, but Jungsoo thinks it’s fate that he is supposed to be here and you know how he is very rarely wrong” Seungri spouted and then letting loose a slight squeak when Seunghyun buried his face into the Fae’s neck. He smiled happily, enjoying this cuddly side of his quiet lover. Seunghyun wasn’t one to show many emotions in public and Seungri relished that he got to see every one of them when they were alone.  
  
“I’m proud of you” Seunghyun whispered against Seungri’s flesh, causing the other to erupt in goose bumps.  
  
“Thank you, I am proud of myself as well. But it means the world to me that you are too” Seungri admitted, letting the other know just how much he craved to please him. Seunghyun smiled lovingly at the creature in his arms.  
  
“I am always proud of you. Let me show it to you” he mumbled seductively and grinned when he felt the Fae nod frantically. Seunghyun stood up and held his mate close as they made their way out of the hall and to their home.  
  
  
“So what do you think of him?” Jungsoo asked as Kangin twirled them around, grinning at his mate.  
  
“He is definitely curious about Ixobre. He seems like a trustworthy person, his emotions are always in plain view on his face. He isn’t very good at hiding them. He also seems to have an interest in Kyuhyun” Kangin muttered softly, watching as his mate smirked at him.  
  
“Yes, I had noticed that. Kyuhyun seems quite interested in him as well” Jungsoo replied, watching as the younger Fae kept throwing looks to the now alone human stranger.  
  
“So then what do you think of him?” Kangin asked, wondering what his lover was thinking.  
  
“I think he was meant to be here today” was all he said and sometimes Kangin cursed his mate’s omnipresent way of presenting himself. He prodded the Fae who just grinned at him.  
  
“I think the forest knows something we don’t quite yet” he elaborated and Kangin nodded, satisfied with the answer. Jungsoo was hardly ever wrong with these things, having been able to tap into the forest like no other Fae, almost like it was his ability. However, Jungsoo claimed it was because he was head Elder and anyways, his ability was to be able to bend the elements and he was always quick to point out a Fae cannot have more than one ability.  
  
“So then we just let things play out?” Kangin asked as the pair watched Kyuhyun step away from the mass and head towards Siwon.  
  
“Yes” Jungsoo said, stealing Kangin’s attention with a swift kiss and the man let him.   
  
  
“May I join you?” a soft voice mused and Siwon looked up only to blush as the Fae he had been watching stood next to him. He nodded quickly, cursing as his heart sped up when the other sat next to him and faced him.  
  
“Still nervous?” Kyuhyun asked, feeling how the man’s heartbeat sped up. Siwon shook his head and then remembered that Kyuhyun could tell.  
  
“Maybe just a bit” he muttered. Kyuhyun smiled softly and a calming feeling settled over Siwon, who looked towards the Fae in wonder.  
  
“Thanks!” Siwon chimed, amazed to be on the receiving end of Kyuhyun’s power. The Fae grinned at him and grabbed a glass of wine from the middle of the table. Kyuhyun gazed upon the human’s handsome face, noting he too had holes in his cheeks like Seunghyun. Did that make Kangin the strange one in the human world?  
  
“You also have these?” Kyuhyun couldn’t help but ask, lifting a delicate hand to point towards Siwon’s dimples. Siwon was startled that Kyuhyun was so close to touching him, wanted to laugh as he took in the look of amazement as the Fae studied his dimples.  
  
“Um, yes I do. Why, who else has them?” Siwon asked, wondering as he didn’t see any of the smiling Fae with them.  
  
“Seunghyun does” Kyuhyun answered, wanting to poke one of them. Siwon let out an understanding noise, as he hasn’t seen the man properly smile yet.  
  
“Are they normal in your world? Does this make Kangin the odd one?” Kyuhyun asked honestly, thinking that they made Siwon look even more handsome. Siwon snorted lightly at the question, never having been asked about his dimples quite like that.  
  
“It is normal for humans to have them, but it is also normal for humans to not have them. I guess it’s half and half?” Siwon ended, making it sound like more of a question than statement. Kyuhyun seemed to understand though, as he didn’t press the issue.  
  
“I saw you with the other two” Kyuhyun commented, turning in his seat to study the new human. Siwon nodded, not able to look away from Kyuhyun’s dazzling face.  
  
“Did you like them?” the Fae asked, hoping the answer was yes. The two humans were like Kyuhyun’s brothers and he cared deeply for them and for some reason, he wanted the three of them to get along. Siwon nodded after hesitating.  
  
“I respect them. I can see how much they care about everyone here and I respect that. I think it will take a bit before we like each other” Siwon said with a laugh and was delighted to hear a small laugh from the other as well. Kyuhyun was happy to hear that, because it meant Siwon wanted to stay.  
  
“Are you going to stay?” Kyuhyun asked, wanting, no needing to know. Siwon gave him a confused look.  
  
“I can’t just up and leave my home, can I? But I will stay for a few days” Siwon conceded, not knowing a few days was weeks where he came from. Kyuhyun decided that was the most he could ask for and would just have to use these next few days to convince him to stay. He didn’t know what it was about this human, but Kyuhyun was so intrigued and drawn to him, that it kind of scared the Fae. He had never felt this drawn to another being and it was frightening to be this way with a stranger. And not just any stranger, but a human.  
  
“You’re going to have some fun then these next days” Kyuhyun stated, giving a signal to Jungsoo who nodded happily. Siwon looked at him questioningly.  
  
“I just let him know you would stay here for a bit, so that we can organize the proper plans” Kyuhyun explained, tasting the berried wine while Siwon gave him another confused look.  
  
“You’re going to be with me tomorrow, learning all about Ixobre” the Fae stated and Siwon felt excitement burst through his heart at the thought. Kyuhyun could feel the emotion waft off of the other and was happy to know he had caused it.  
  
“You must be tired, let’s get you to your rooms” the Fae said, standing up and motioning for Siwon to follow. Siwon stood up to follow, eyes never leaving the backside of the being leading him. One would think he was missing out on all the wonderful sights this world had to offer, but Siwon was content to watch the swaying hips of the Fae in front of him. Kyuhyun led him out of the hall to outside, where they took an immediate right. Kyuhyun took them to a cluster of trees with what looked like large houses built up and into them. Siwon stared in awe, finally able to tear his gaze away from the other. The trees were huge, over a hundred feet tall and as wide around as a skyscraper. The houses were all linked with bridges and were no ordinary tree houses; they were like tree mansions.  
  
“Each one is equipped with running water for your bathroom duties, there is plenty of light should you need it. This one is yours for now” Kyuhyun instructed, stopping below a tree and pointing up.  
  
“If you need anything at all, mine is the one right next to you and Seunghyun’s and Seungri’s is across” the Fae said, pointing to the one on the left of Siwon’s and one right across, both connected by the bridges.  
  
“How do I get up there?” Siwon asked, not sure if he could climb a tree that large. Kyuhyun leaned forward and pressed a large knot on the tree, watching as a ladder descended from the top.  
  
“Please let one of us know if you need anything at all” Kyuhyun said with a final smile, walking towards his own tree. Siwon smiled back and started climbing the ladder, amazed it didn’t swing side to side with his effort. As he made it to the top and stepped inside the house, his jaw dropped. It was much larger than it looked on the outside and it was completely furnished. Siwon saw that it was divided by walls into separate rooms and he decided to explore.  
  
The main area had large bean bag type chairs, all of varying degrees of softness as Siwon tried them all. There was also a sofa and Siwon wondered if Kangin and Seunghyun had something to do with that furniture. He wandered to a room akin to a kitchen and saw many fruits and foods that had been at the celebration stored in some of the cubbies and on the tables. He continued into the house, seeing the place seemed to have more than one bedroom. He peaked into the larger one and saw a large bed with many blankets made of animal skins and other fabrics as he noticed it definitely got cooler at night.  
  
The room next to the bedroom was a bathroom of sorts and had a toilet and a shower. Granted they looked much different than what he was used to, but it worked all the same. The whole place gave off the log cabin in the woods feel and Siwon found himself rather comfortable in the setting. He decided to settle for sleep, exhaustion taking over his body from the events of the day. He searched the wardrobe and found sets of different clothes in there, exactly like the ones the Fae and the other humans wore. It was all floaty and light material, but he noticed it was also quite strong as he pulled on it. Deciding to forgo the new clothes until morning, Siwon just stripped until he was in his underwear and snuggled into the bed. He was delighted at how comfortable it was and quickly set about making a nest for himself and settling to sleep, feeling relaxed.   
  
****  
  
Siwon was awoken the next morning by loud noises outside and he stretched, feeling rested. He had to admit that was one of the best nights of sleep he had ever had. Noticing how light it was outside, he decided to get up and ready himself for some new adventures with Kyuhyun. He dug through the wardrobe once more, deciding on dark blue garments for today and he headed into the bathroom. He noticed there were many bathing oils inside the large shower stall and spent a bit of tie smelling each one.  
After deciding on a musky sandalwood, Siwon bathed in wonderment at the shower. The stall was large, able to fit at least ten people comfortably and it was softly lit. It seemed to be made out of stone Siwon noted, probably because the wood would eventually rot. He cleaned himself with the oils, surprised they actually worked. He had thought the oils would just leave him greasier but he was always pleasantly taken aback by everything in this world.  
  
He finished his shower and dressed in the clothes he picked out. The sapphire colored shirt was tight against his frame as it had been on the others, but Siwon found that it was quite comfortable, rather than constricting. The fabric was light but durable, allowing Siwon’s skin to breathe in the heat of the day. The top was long sleeved and had a collar that was slightly v-shaped and it tied on along the sides. The pants of a matching color were looser than the shirt, but Siwon found them just as nice. The pants had many pockets and straps along them and Siwon wasn’t sure what for.  
  
After dressing, Siwon finger combed his wet hair back and stepped out of the bathroom and back towards the entrance to find his shoes. He noticed however, that there were others shoes next to his, in the style the others wore. He grabbed a pair and slid them on, never having worn something like them. They were almost like the feminine flat style, but they covered his whole foot and allowed him to move more swiftly. He was starting to notice everything the Fae wore was for efficiency, allowing them to be comfortable but also making them able to move around in them without tearing something or becoming too hot. Deciding this was as good as it was going to get, he made his way outside and down the ladder, joining the other two humans who waited for him.  
  
“Well you seem to have found everything alright” Kangin noted, gesturing to Siwon’s appearance. Kangin was dressed in garments of a forest green while Seunghyun had opted for straight black, making him look even more dangerous with his mysterious eyes.  
“Come, they are waiting” Seunghyun said and motioned for the others to follow him. Siwon thought they were heading back into the hall they were in last night, only to watch as they passed it completely. Seunghyun led them around the hall, towards the back where a much smaller building stood. Kangin held the door open while the other two made their way in and Siwon noticed a meeting of sorts was going on. Seunghyun put a finger to his lips, motioning to be quite as he sat down in some chairs at the back. The other two followed and Siwon watched as the Elders held a meeting, his eyes locking onto Kyuhyun’s frame once more. He enjoyed just sitting there and watching the Fae in the meeting, not noticing the two men exchange knowing looks. Soon, it seemed the meeting was adjourned as the Elders stood, some of them facing them. Jungsoo smiled and waved the humans over.  
  
“Ah Siwon, so glad you joined us” the leader said honestly, smiling at the new human, who couldn’t help but smile back. Kyuhyun also grinned, ecstatic to know Siwon wanted to be with them, at least for a bit.  
  
“Very glad to be here sir, and thank you for all your hospitality” Siwon replied, not forgetting his manners.  
  
“Oh I like him, he’s much more tame than you ever were” Jungsoo joked to Kangin, who pouted slightly. The other Elders laughed slightly, knowing just how true that was. Kangin had been a right handful when he had first come across the Fae and they all liked to poke fun at him for it.  
  
“And please, just Jungsoo will do” the Elder added, causing Siwon to smile. Seungri broke away from the other Elders to plant himself next to Seunghyun, wrapping his long arms around the other’s slim waist. Seunghyun smiled at his mate and wrapped an arm around him as well and they went back to paying attention to the Elder.  
  
“Alright, so as established last night when Siwon decided to stay for a bit, he will be assigned to Kyuhyun for the majority of today to learn about Ixobre” Jungsoo started and both Kyuhyun and Siwon nodded in understanding.  
  
“I’d also like him to bond with Seunghyun and Kangin, to learn what life is like here through a human’s eyes” the Elder added and both of the humans nodded, smirking towards Siwon. He knew they were not going to give him an easy time, but he found he was looking forward to it as well.  
  
“We’ll see how today goes and then well go from there” Jungsoo ended, wrapping up the quick and easy schedule. Kyuhyun stepped forward and offered a smile to Siwon.  
  
“Ready to get started?” the Fae asked and the human nodded, following him outside once again.  
  
“He says he’s only staying for a few days” Seunghyun commented as the four of them watched the pair leave. Kangin nodded along with his friend, looking towards his smiling mate.  
  
“The forest works in mysterious ways” was all he said, causing the others to laugh lightly, knowing just how true those words were.  
  
“So where are we going?” Siwon asked finally as he noticed Kyuhyun seemed to be taking him away from the little village area.  
  
“To the stables, there is someone I want you to meet” Kyuhyun answered, excited to introduce his old friend to his new one, while hoping they got along with each other. Siwon kept silent after that, just enjoying switching his gaze from the Fae in front of him to the surrounding area, not sure which he liked best. After another chunk of time passed, they came upon large stables and Siwon heard loud rustling noises from the inside. Kyuhyun opened the door and led Siwon inside. Siwon looked around in awe; looking at the creatures just like the one Seungri was riding the night before.  
  
“These are Pegai. Seunghyun told me to tell you that they are smarter than humans, able to communicate through telepathy. He said to explain it like a human trapped in a flying horse’s body?” Kyuhyun explained, but it sounded like he too wasn’t sure. The Fae had no idea what Seunghyun had been talking about, but agreed nonetheless. He was glad he did because it seemed like Siwon understood. Kyuhyun took that as a good sign and led them towards the back of the stables, stopping at the last cubicle.  
  
“Kai, wake up! I have someone I want you to meet!” Kyuhyun shouted, startling Siwon and the Pegai who was peacefully sleeping. Siwon marveled as the black beast stood and shook itself and he couldn’t help but think about how majestic this creature looked.  
  
“Kai, this is Siwon, the human from last night! Siwon, this is Kai, one of my best friends and my Pegai” Kyuhyun introduced and the horse like creature ducked its head in a bow, so Siwon bowed back. Kyuhyun snorted.  
  
“He says you have nice manners” The Fae relayed, his fingers deep in the Pegai’s mane. Ah, so it was a male!  
  
“He is gorgeous. I love his coloring’ Siwon said honestly and was surprised when Kai let out a loud snort and huff of air, causing Kyuhyun to laugh.  
  
“He really likes you. He says ‘Thanks!’” Kyuhyun relayed and Siwon grinned at the beast. Kai was pleased with Siwon and liked him a lot already. Not many called him lovely or beautiful, well aware of the conditions of his birth that caused his coloring and he was incredibly thankful that Siwon liked him for him, able to see his coloring as just that: coloring. He liked that the human, who was ignorant to how Pegai were colored saw it as just coloring and he was happy the human liked it as well.  
  
“Well I like you too!” Siwon chimed, looking the Pegai in the eyes and talking to it like any other person.  
  
‘He is very respectful. I like him. He treats me like you do and not like some beast some of the other humans have treated me like.’  
  
Kyuhyun smiled at his friends thoughts and agreed. Seeing Siwon treat his friend like a person meant a lot to the both of them and it made Kyuhyun even more interested in Siwon.  
  
“If you’re lucky, he may let you ride him soon” Kyuhyun suggested and was delighted to hear an affirmative from his friend.  
  
“I’d be honored” Siwon said honestly, because if this creature meant a lot to Kyuhyun, then he was all for trying to make friends with him.  
  
“Okay Kai, I just wanted to introduce you two. We’ll be back tomorrow, we have other things to be doing today” the Pegai snuffled in agreement and lied back down as the duo left the stables.  
  
“So he really likes me?” Siwon asked once they were on their way through the trees once more. Kyuhyun smiled at him and Siwon felt his heart stop.  
  
“Yes, he really likes you. He liked that you treated him like a person and not just a beast. Plus the fact that you like his coloring” Kyuhyun added, leading the way back through the trees.  
  
“Well he has beautiful coloring” Siwon said, wondering if there were people that didn’t like it and made the Pegai feel bad.  
  
“I agree, but the other Pegai and some Fae do not agree” Kyuhyun said sadly and Siwon looked at him surprised.  
  
“Why not?” Siwon asked, genuinely confused. The Pegai had a glossy coat of black that shined when the sun bounced off of it and Siwon had noticed Kai’s unusual eyes, finding them enchanting. Kyuhyun let out a sad sigh.  
  
“Pegai are colored by the way they are born. The other Pegai are all multiple colors with dull eyes because they were conceived and born out of love, happiness or acceptance. Kai is the way he is because he was conceived and born out of anger, hate and force. Kai’s mother was raped by another Pegai and his mother always took the blame out on Kai. He is all black because he was born in a black state, having never really been wanted. Most Pegai and some Fae see that as a sign of bad luck” Kyuhyun explained and although Siwon thought it was weird as hell, he found himself feeling for the Pegai.  
  
“So when others see a Pegai of Kai’s coloring or in similar colorings, they know right away that that particular Pegai was never wanted and was shunned, so the others tend to do the same. I have never liked that theory so when I came across Kai wandering alone in the forest many years ago, I took him into our stables and loved him. He has since become my best friend” Kyuhyun added, looking to Siwon imploringly, as if to make the other understand.  
  
“I do not care what conditions he was born in; he still looks magnificent and I applaud you for taking him in when others would not” Siwon declared truthfully and Kyuhyun felt his heart swell.  
  
“He’ll be so happy to know that Siwon. It means a lot to the both of us” the Fae muttered quietly, drawing a smile from the human.  
  
“Good, I’m glad. Everyone needs more happiness in their life” the human replied, not noticing the look the Fae gave him. Kyuhyun found his heart being pulled towards the other and he decided he wasn’t going to stop whatever was happening to him.   
  
*****  
  
Siwon found himself enjoying the next few days with the Fae and two other humans. He spent a lot of time with Kyuhyun, getting to know the Ixobre way of life as well as the enchanting Fae he spent most of his time with. The more Siwon learned about Kyuhyun, the more he liked the other and Kyuhyun found himself feeling the same way. Siwon also spent quite a bit of time with Kangin and Seunghyun and the other two found Siwon growing on them, to the point where they willingly wanted to hang out with the other man. Siwon found that he was the happiest he’d ever been and seriously contemplated just staying here for the rest of his life, living stress free and with these interesting people.  
  
Siwon learned many things in the past days, like how to hunt, climb and he even rode Kai a few times. He had been delighted in that experience, enjoying the way the Pegai took him up in the air. He had even bonded with the Pegai and was now able to exchange thoughts the same way he and Kyuhyun had always done. He had found a good friend in Kai and Kai was thrilled to have another friend like Siwon, who was always so honest and pure with him.  
  
The human had also witnessed a Consortium between two Fae and he thought it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He had been to plenty of weddings, but for some reason none of them measured up to watching the two Fae being joined for eternity. He was able to witness the love between Jungsoo and Kangin, as well as Seunghyun and Seungri and he found himself wanting exactly that in his life.  
  
Soon, eight weeks passed by and Siwon had completely forgotten about his old life, being totally submerged in this new one. Kangin and Seunghyun had warmed to him by leaps and bounds at this point and the humans often had “Guy’s night” where the three of them would get a couple bottles of the berry wine and hangout at Siwon’s tree house. Sometimes the mates and Kyuhyun were invited and sometimes it was just the humans. Siwon found that he felt he belonged here with them and was almost ready to give up his previous life.  
  
Along these many weeks, Siwon found himself falling for Kyuhyun. What had started as a cute little crush as well as admiration had grown. Siwon often thought about spending the rest of his life in Ixobre, alongside Kyuhyun like Seungri did with Seunghyun. He had dreamt of it often and even told his thought to his new human friends. They encouraged him to tell the Fae how he felt, wanting to add this new human to the family. Siwon had dismissed them, saying he was way too nervous, because what if Kyuhyun didn’t feel the same? Then things would become awkward to the point that Siwon wouldn’t be able to stay. The other two had rolled their eyes but dropped the subject.  
  
That brought Siwon to this moment: he was sitting on his deck area outside looking up at the stars. The others had gone into their own homes to bed a couple of hours ago, but Siwon found he couldn’t sleep. The night was mild so he decided to do a bit of star gazing. He sat with his back against the tree house and with his head titled up, contemplating his life.  
  
“Why so serious?” A familiar voice whispered out and Siwon smiled, lowering his head to look over at Kyuhyun who had just stepped out of his own home. He motioned for the Fae to come over and Kyuhyun obeyed, using the bridges to make his way over to Siwon and he sat beside him.  
  
“I’m just looking at the stars” Siwon answered, afraid to tell Kyuhyun that he was actually thinking of confessing to the other. Kyuhyun just gave him his dazzling smile as he too looked up.  
  
“They are quite beautiful on nights like this” Kyuhyun remarked and Siwon agreed, but he wasn’t thinking about the stars as he shifted his gaze to Kyuhyun’s face. The child like wonder and amazement that Kyuhyun often showed always made Siwon’s heart flutter and he wished the Fae would look upon him like that. It was at that moment that Kyuhyun turned his head, catching Siwon staring at him.  
  
Kyuhyun was happy he no longer heard of Siwon talking about leaving, as he had grown enamored with the other. He found Siwon’s honesty and gentle personality inviting and his heart had nearly jumped out of his chest in delight as he watched Siwon prove himself to be an excellent fighter as well. In Kyuhyun’s eyes, he was the perfect mate and the Fae wanted nothing more than to bind himself to this human. But he didn’t know Siwon’s heart and was afraid of being rejected, afraid he’d make the other leave back to his own world and leave Kyuhyun here, all alone.  
  
All these thoughts came rushing to the both of them as they gazed at each other, neither willing to look away first.  
  
“Beautiful” Siwon whispered, repeating Kyuhyun’s words about the stars. The Fae’s breath hitched as he noticed Siwon’s face coming closer to his own. Could it be the human’s heart beat the same rhythm as his own? Kyuhyun decided to take a chance and used his tenacity to lean forward as well and was delighted when Siwon followed. Soon their faces were mere inches apart as they shared the same breath.  
  
“I really want to kiss you” Siwon confessed, his heart beating out of his chest in nervousness.  
  
“I really want you to kiss me” Kyuhyun answered and was delighted when Siwon closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a soft, hesitant kiss and Siwon marveled at Kyuhyun’s smooth and plump mouth and its taste. It was Kyuhyun who leaned into the kiss more, causing it to become more than a peck as Siwon looped his arms around the Fae’s waist, pulling him closer. Kyuhyun let out a noise of agreement and wrapped his own arms around Siwon’s neck, deciding this was where he belonged. It was a sweet kiss with no tongue, but it ended too soon in both of their opinions as they pulled away for air.  
  
“Please stay” Kyuhyun whimpered, showing his vulnerable side to the human, which wasn’t something he did often with anyone. Siwon gave him a heart melting smile.  
  
“Only if you stay with me” Siwon countered and Kyuhyun happily obliged, attacking Siwon’s lips once more. This time, Siwon took the chance to explore Kyuhyun’s mouth with is tongue and he found the Fae tasted like the berried wine they liked so much. Siwon broke the kiss once again, chuckling when Kyuhyun whined softly. He stood up and offered his hand to Kyuhyun, who happily took it.  
  
“Spend the night?” Siwon asked, not asking for anything sexual, just wanting the other’s company. However, if the smirk on the Fae’s face was anything to go by, Siwon was about to learn more of Kyuhyun’s anatomy in the next coming hours.   
  
  
Siwon awoke before Kyuhyun with a broad grin on his face. The memories of the night before flashed across his mind as he pulled the naked Fae closer to his body, snuggling into the crook of Kyuhyun’s neck. Words could not describe how happy the human was in this moment, and he felt he had made the right decision to stay. He did however, think he needed to go back in to the human world, just to gather some of his belongings and quit his job. As he lay there, he came up with a plan to get back into the human world to gather his things. He had met Sulli, the fairy who always brought humans back into their own world and he was certain she could lead him to the right path.  
  
With that he got up, stretching a bit as he did. He glanced back to the deeply sleeping Kyuhyun on his bed and smiled, happy things were finally coming together for him. He dressed quickly and searched the house for paper and a pen. He soon found the paper and something that resembled a quill. Deciding it was good enough; he scrawled a note to his Fae and put his real shoes on. He set out quickly, wanting to get this task done soon so he could fully enjoy being with Kyuhyun. He descended the ladder and made his way to the trees where the Fairies stayed.  
  
“Sulli?” He called, not wanting to wake the other fairies. Luck was on his side today as the fairy made her presence known, stepping out of the house and flying towards him. Siwon grinned at the tiny being, no bigger than his hand as she greeted him.  
  
“I was wondering of you could take me back to the human world?” he asked, getting down to business. Sulli immediately stopped smiling and frowned at the human.  
  
“The human world, are you sure?” She asked, wondering why the human wanted to leave all of a sudden. Siwon nodded.  
  
“Absolutely sure. Can we hurry please?” Siwon said urgently and Sulli wondered what happened to make the other want to leave. It was not in her nature to pry however, so she agreed hesitantly. They set off quickly and Sulli noticed Siwon’s happy demeanor. Was he really that happy to be leaving? What had happened to suddenly cause this human to want to leave? From what she understood, she had heard that this being wanted to stay. She shook her head as she led the way out of the forest. Being a fairy had is disadvantages, like the inability to poke and prod in other’s personal business. It made Fairies immensely uncomfortable so they avoided it at all costs, including now.  
  
After an hour of what seemed to be wandering aimlessly to Siwon, Sulli stopped.  
  
“The exit it through those two trees right there” she said, pointing to two old, gnarled trees that twisted and bent to each other, forming a kind of archway.  
  
“Excellent, thanks Sulli! See you!” Siwon called, making his way to the trees.  
  
“Bye human” the fairy muttered sadly as she watched Siwon disappear through the entrance, missing him already.  
  
Siwon walked through the archway and was surprised to find himself at the park he had visited before getting lost in the magical world. He made his way into town quickly, wanting to get his tasks done and get back to his Fae. He made it to his apartment in record time, frowning as he noticed several eviction notices on his door. He’d only been gone for two weeks, how could he have gotten evicted already? He shrugged, not really caring as he entered the apartment, finding it how he left it. He grabbed his duffle bag and started packing the things that had sentimental value to him as well as some of his own clothes. As he packed a few of his rope tied necklaces, he grinned as he felt the new one around his neck; a gift from Kyuhyun after last night. After they had made love for the first time, Kyuhyun had taken the delicately braided necklace off of himself and tied it onto Siwon. It was the best present the human had ever received and he would cherish it always.  
  
As he finished packing, he made his way downstairs to his supervisor’s apartment, informing the cranky old man he was leaving and that he could whatever with the rest of Siwon’s stuff. After taking care of that, he got ahold of a taxi and made his way to his office. He entered the building, not noticing the strange looks the receptionists gave him. He knocked delicately on his boss’s office door, entering when he was given the okay.  
  
“Siwon!” Zhou Mi, his boss shouted before leaping to his feet and rushing the other man. Siwon, who was startled at the act, was surprised when his boss embraced him.  
  
“Where have you been?! The police have been looking everywhere. I thought you had been murdered!” the man shouted at him and Siwon laughed.  
  
“Calm down hyung, I was only gone for a few weeks” Siwon chuckled, happy his boss worried about him. Zhou Mi gave him a strange look as he looked over Siwon for any injuries.  
  
“Siwon, you’ve been gone for almost sixteen months” the older man stated, wondering what happened to his employee to addle his brain so. Siwon frowned at him.  
  
“That’s not possible, I swear I was only gone for two months hyung. I decided to use up all my built up vacation time” Siwon argued and Zhou Mi gave up, just happy that the other was safe.  
  
“Not important, what’s important is that you’re back!” the man said, squeezing Siwon once again.  
  
“Not entirely hyung. I just came in to tell you I’m moving, so I need to quit” Siwon said, saddened at the look the other man gave him.  
  
“Moving? Where? You just got here!” Zhou Mi yelled, causing Siwon to shush him.  
  
“Somewhere far away hyung” was all the answer he was willing to give. Zhou Mi sighed and consented defeat, helping the other fill out the necessary paperwork. Once that was finished, Siwon felt free and couldn’t wait to make his way back to his Fae.  
  
“Bye hyung, I’ll miss you!” he shouted, waving back to his old boss as he set off towards the park.  
  
He found the wooded area once again and he strode into it confidently, knowing Sulli was waiting for him on the other side.  
  
“Sulli?” Siwon called when he travelled a good distance into the woods. He continued to call out when he received no reply, wondering where the little fairy went. He travelled farther into the woods, not seeing anything that looked anything like his new home. In fact, the harder he looked the more he realized it looked nothing like Ixobre. The place just looked like a normal forest with dull looking trees and normal sounding birds. Siwon frowned as he made his way deeper, not recognizing anything but too determined to give up. He needed to get back to Kyuhyun, needed to hold the Fae in his arms once again.  
  
He pursued the forest, walking for hours until the sun had set and moon had risen and still, he did not give up. He periodically called for Sulli and even some of the other Fae. By the time the moon had risen, he started calling for Kai, hoping the Pegai was soaring the skies as he often did at night. Siwon never received a response, except from normal birds here and there.  
  
He didn’t know how long he’d been walking around the forest with his heavy duffle bag, but the sun had risen once again a few hours again. He was feeling exhausted and extremely thirsty as the heat bore down on him. He decided to rest against a tree for a bit and then continue looking. However, once he sat, he found he couldn’t get back up. His body had simply given up, demanding rest from it and before he knew it, he was sleeping propped up against the tree.   
  
Siwon awoke in an unfamiliar place, noticing the light was too bright, too fluorescent to be the forest he fell asleep in.  
  
“Kyuhyun?” he mumbled, fighting to open his eyes.  
  
“Nurse, he’s awake!” Siwon heard a familiar voice, but it wasn’t one he was expecting. He cracked his eyes opened and blinked to focus, seeing the face of Zhou Mi hovering over him worriedly.  
  
“Mi, what are you doing here?” Siwon asked, wondering where he was.  
  
“The hospital called me since I’m your only emergency contact” his boss said, grabbing Siwon’s hand.  
  
“What happened?” Siwon asked, his brain unable to make sense of the situation. Zhou Mi sighed sadly.  
  
“A hiker found you in the woods and the doctor says you’d been there for a couple days. You were passed out and severely dehydrated. He called the police and they brought you here. You’ve been between sleep and consciousness for the past four days” Zhou Mi explained, worried for his friend. Siwon frowned, thinking that Kyuhyun was going to be worried about him.  
  
“That’s not all” Zhou Mi continued and Siwon heard the hesitancy in his voice. He raised a tired eyebrow to his friend.  
  
“You were mumbling in your sleep, something about a fay and fairy, about somewhere call ixobrey, and you kept calling out to someone named Kyuhyun” the man explained, worried for his friend’s mental state. Siwon noticed the look his boss gave him.  
  
“Zhou Mi, listen to me” Siwon started, and then told everything to his only friend in this world. He told him all about how he had gotten lost in the woods two weeks ago, how he came across strange creatures and all about his life in Ixobre. Zhou Mi listened as he heard Siwon spout what he thought the man believed and he threw glances to the doctor and psychiatrist who were listening at the door. Siwon hadn’t noticed the pair who had come to check upon him and continued in his tale, telling them about the Pegai and Fairies and how he was now in love with a Fae.  
  
“So that’s why I was there Mi, I need to find them again” Siwon pleaded, anguish at being separated from his new home tormenting him. Zhou Mi cooed at him and nodded at the psychiatrist, who stepped forward and injected something into Siwon’s IV when the man wasn’t looking. Soon, Siwon was back into the land of the unconscious.  
  
“Well doctor, what do we do?” Zhou mi asked, looking towards both professionals. They exchanged a look with each other before the psychiatrist, Dr. Lee, Shindong stepped forward.  
  
“We need to admit him to the psychiatric ward immediately. Something must have happened to him that he can’t remember while he was missing for those months. We need to monitor him closely to make sure he isn’t a danger to himself or others” the psychiatrist said and the doctor, Kang Daesung nodded. Zhou Mi agreed and allowed them to wheel Siwon’s bed out of the room and down the hall.  
  
“Sir, since he is in no condition to make any decisions, his paper work has labeled you the one to make any medical decisions” Daesung informed Zhou Mi.

“I understand” the man said, watching sadly as his friend was wheeled to the psychiatric ward.


	3. Chapter 3

Seungri and Seunghyun were enjoying breakfast with each other, eating very delicious breads with cheese. Seungri giggled as his mate fed him a bite and Seunghyun smiled, thanking which ever god was responsible for this world that he was able to reunite with this perfect creature.

“I love you” Seunghyun muttered, leaning forward to steal a kiss from his cute little Fae. Seungri blushed and grinned, happy to hear those words from his mate.  
  
“I love you too, for forever” he added and Seunghyun grinned, causing the dimples in his face to deepen.  
  
“That’s good, because I have no intention of letting you go anywhere” the human declared while the two of them enjoyed this overly cheesy morning. Their bliss was interrupted however, by a loud piercing yell. They both scrambled up and out of their home, running across the bridge to where Siwon’s home was. They rushed inside, looking for the man. What they found however, broke their hearts; Kyuhyun was curled into a ball on the floor sobbing as he rocked back and forth, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. Seungri rushed to his brother, throwing an arm around him and tried to calm him down.  
  
“What’s happened?” An out of breath Jungsoo asked as he and Kangin made their way in as well, stopping short of the sight before them. Seunghyun shrugged before turning sad eyes to the wailing Fae on the floor.  
  
“Kyuhyun, what’s wrong, where’s Siwon?” Seungri asked and received a louder cry as an answer. He looked towards the others for help as he clearly didn’t know what to do. Jungsoo knelt down and held onto Kyuhyun’s face, making him look up to him. The lead Elder’s heart broke when he saw the agony in the other’s watering eyes.  
  
“What happened?” Jungsoo asked softly and Kyuhyun just thrust his hand with the paper out, giving Jungsoo permission to look at it. He grabbed it and read what seemed to be a note quickly, his heart dropping into his stomach.  
  
 _My dearest Kyuhyun,I have gone back to my world for but a moment to gather some things and then I will return back to your waiting arms. Do not fret, Sulli will guide me safely. Plus, now that I know you’re waiting for me in my bed, I will hasten ever more. Just rest up and know I will return soon._  
With love, Your Siwonnie  
  
Jungsoo looked up towards the others, tears forming in his eyes as well. Kangin jumped forward immediately.  
  
“What is it, love?” he asked softly, wiping the tears from his mate’s face.  
  
“Siwon has gone back to his world” the Elder answered and the other three gasped.  
  
“But why?” Seungri asked, feeling his heart break for Kyuhyun. They quickly took turns reading the note and Seunghyun gazed at Kyuhyun, his heart breaking.  
  
“We never told him he wouldn’t be able to come back” Seunghyun admitted, now wanting to punch himself in the face. It seemed the human and Kyuhyun had finally confessed to each other and now this happened.  
  
“I never would’ve guessed he would try to go back to get his things. This is our fault” Kangin added and Seunghyun nodded, readily taking blame. Seungri buried his head into Seunghyun’s neck, letting his tears fall. The four of them had grown to like Siwon and were ready to accept him into their family with Kyuhyun, and now neither of them knew what to do. Seunghyun held his mate close, whispering apologies over and over again for all of them to hear. Kyuhyun finally stood up on shaky legs and Jungsoo leapt forward to steady the younger Fae.  
  
“It’s no one’s fault. None of us ever thought he’d want to go back just for material possessions” Kyuhyun choked out, fresh tears cascading down his face. Jungsoo hugged him close and stroked his hair.  
  
“The forest will help him find his way back” he said, honestly believing it. The forest worked in mysterious ways, but it had helped Seunghyun back because the man loved Seungri so much, so it should help Siwon back as well. He knew Siwon had a pure heart and deserved to be here and he hoped the forest agreed with him.  
  
“But when?” Kyuhyun whimpered out and the other four’s hearts broke all over again.  
  
“The forest works in mysterious ways, you just need to trust it” the Elder replied and Kyuhyun nodded. If Seungri was able to make it those three months without Seunghyun, then Kyuhyun could wait faithfully for his love to return as well.  
  
“Now come on, let’s get you cleaned up” Jungsoo said and they pitched in to help their broken-hearted brother.  
  
Two and a half years passed for Kyuhyun, who still nursed his broken heart. He never stopped thinking of Siwon, constantly wondering if the human was okay and if he thought about Kyuhyun at all. He had sat down and done the math with Seunghyun and they determined that one year in Ixobre equaled twenty-eight years in the human world. So two and a half years later, Kyuhyun found himself hating the forest.  
  
The forest lied to him, it had never brought Siwon back and soon the human would die of old age. Seunghyun and Kangin had told him that humans rarely lived to be one hundred and Siwon was coming up on his ninety-sixth year. Kyuhyun also couldn’t help at being irritated with Jungsoo, who still held his position in thinking the forest would return Siwon one day.  
  
Seungri had been a big help to the broken-hearted Fae, offering his support and coping mechanisms to the other. Seunghyun and Kangin were always quick to reassure Kyuhyun that Siwon was safe in the human world and was always thinking of Kyuhyun, the same way the Fae thought of Siwon.  
  
Kyuhyun was spending his day in the stables with Kai, the Pegai always able to make him feel a bit better.  
  
What’s on your mind, Kyuhyun?  
  
The Fae sighed. “Today is Siwon’s ninety-sixth birthday.” The Pegai nuzzled into Kyuhyun, happy to see a very small smile make its way onto the Fae’s face.  
  
I know the others tell you this all the time, but I truly believe he will be back for you. I can feel something in the air when I think of Siwon, it’s like the forest is waiting for something.  
  
“What’s it waiting for? I am tired of waiting” Kyuhyun sighed. It was true; he was tired all the time now. He didn’t sleep very well, always having nightmares of his human, dreaming the other to be in danger or in a horrific place. He often heard Siwon calling out to him in fear and it made Kyuhyun’s chest ache to think he couldn’t soothe his human in his time of need.  
  
I do not know what it is waiting for Kyuhyun, but I don’t think you’ll have to wait much longer. Something feels different, the forest feels playful.  
  
Kyuhyun knew the Pegai could often tap into the forest better than the Fae and better than Jungsoo, so Kyuhyun had always taken comfort from Kai’s words. He jerked his head to stare at his friend.  
  
“I won’t have to wait much longer?” he asked, daring to let the spark of hope bloom inside of him.  
  
Kyuhyun smiled at his friend, a true and honest smile and he hugged Kai, thankful to him for being his rock.  
  
"That's good, because I'm not sure how much more I can take" Kyuhyun answered and Kai prayed the forest wasn't playing with them and was really about to send Siwon back to Kyuhyun, where he belonged.  
  
Siwon stared out of the window, watching the children of the neighborhood play outside in the spring warmth. He drew a shaking breath as his hand landed on his right wrist once again, an action he repeated many times a day, for the last seventy years. On his wrist rested the delicate, braided necklace that Siwon had tied to his wrist, no longer able to wear it around his neck.  
  
“Mr. Choi, it’s time for your walk” a sweet voice called and Siwon registered the living assistant’s bright face. Her name was Jessica and she was very nice to Siwon, always asking to hear his stories. He often told her of his life in Ixobre and he honestly felt she believed him, even if just a little.  
  
Life had not been kind to Siwon. He spent the majority of it in a mental health home, where people who were actually ill lived. He had been evaluated in the psychiatric ward all those years ago and was deemed Schizophrenic. Unable to make his own medical decisions, Zhou Mi had him immediately placed in a home, claiming to do it for his safety. Siwon had stopped speaking to him after that, even though the man had still visited him. He was only given relief when the other man passed away several years ago and now Siwon lived a life of quiet solitude. He often stayed in his room, coming out only when Jessica came to take him on his walks, otherwise she spent her time talking with him or playing card games.  
  
Jessica had been Siwon’s saving grace, keeping him sane inside this hell-hole. She often encouraged Siwon to keep his beliefs on what had happened to him, not telling her seniors that he still talked of Ixobre. They thought him almost cured, Siwon having admitted that he no longer believed those stories. He had only told them that to get them off of his back, so he could go back to grieving the best thing that ever happened to him.  
  
Jessica got his coat and helped him into it, grabbing his cane for him. Siwon was fit for a ninety-six year old man, not needing a wheel chair in his old age. Jessica grabbed her own light jacket and they set off around the block, enjoying the new sights spring had to offer.  
  
“Happy Birthday Siwon” she muttered with a smile, pulling something out of her pocket. He looked at the small object, wondering why she had a pair of silver rings.  
  
“It’s for when you’re reunited with Kyuhyun. When you find him, please marry him right away” She whispered, slipping the rings into Siwon’s wrinkled, shaking hand. He gazed upon her face, tears welling in his eyes. She just smiled softly at him.  
  
“Thank you” he wheezed, coughing slightly. He grabbed her hand and squeezed, emotion making him unable to speak. She seemed to understand as she squeezed back and grinned at him.  
  
“Let’s go to the park, hmm? A special birthday present” she suggested and started leading them to the same park that haunted Siwon’s dreams that was right around the block. He followed silently and slowly, his cane making him slow in his old age. He pocketed the rings and walked on, thinking of his beloved Kyuhyun once again. He wondered if the Fae missed him or if he had moved one when he found out Siwon was never coming back. The thought hurt his heart and he stopped thinking about that, instead thinking of the other two couples he had come to love. He often wished Kangin and Jungsoo, as well as Seungri and Seunghyun were happy and living their lives together.  
  
They came to the park and Jessica sat at a bench, looking towards her charge. She honestly felt for the man, not sure about his stories of a strange world, but believing he had been in love. She had seen the rings in a jewelry store on sale as a pair and bought them for Siwon’s birthday, as he was her favorite charge. She regretted that such a nice man like Siwon had lived his whole life in the ward, never able to go out and experience life again. That’s why she planned as many field trips as possible for them, wanting the other man to smile. She knew it was worth it to get the rings when she saw his reaction and she smiled to herself.  
  
Siwon gazed upon the woods, never having stepped foot in them again after he had awoken in the hospital. He came here often with Jessica, but never felt the urge to go in there, fearing the utter rejection and heartbreak once again. But something was different today; the woods called to him and he was having trouble resisting. He starting edging towards them, looking back at Jessica, noticing she was in a conversation with a passerby walking his dog. He took the chance and shuffled over to the trees, fearing this was his only chance. When he reached the edge, he looked back, seeing his caretaker swapping numbers with the man. He wished her the best of luck and entered the forest, breathing in deep.  
  
He used his cane to propel himself forward, taking stock of the ordinary looking trees and normal sounding animals. Something was egging him on however, and he obeyed it, stumbling forward. After a few hours, he felt drained and his chest was hurting. He stopped to lean against a tree, clutching at his chest. A sharp pain shot down his left arm and somehow, Siwon knew this was the end. His time was up and he welcomed it. He just wished it was something less painful than a heart attack as he settled in the ground, holding his chest. His heart beat rapidly, too fast to be healthy as his breathing became labored. He lay back, propped against a tree and stared at the sky, his vision becoming blurry.  
  
“Kyuhyun” he whispered with his last breath, closing his eyes as he fell into an eternal slumber, never to awake in this world again. And strangely, Siwon was okay with that as his heart stopped.  
  
He lied there peacefully; his last thoughts of his beloved Fae and his world, hoping the other would find happiness.  
  
Kyuhyun wandered around the forest aimlessly, silently celebrating Siwon’s birthday like he did every other month, having figured it out down to a T. It had taken him a while, but with Kangin and Seunghyun’s help he got all the dates right and he never missed one. Every time Siwon’s birthday came up, Kyuhyun would go out into the forest and think of his missed lover, hoping he was okay and happy. Today was no different as he passed a clump of trees.  
  
“Siwon, I hope you’re having a good birthday. I hope you’re eating bunches of good food and enjoying life to the fullest. I miss you terribly. Kai seems to think you’ll be back soon, he says he feels something in the forest. I hope he’s right because I don’t know how much longer I can take being away from you” Kyuhyun spoke out to the forest, his voice echoing a bit and tears slid down his face.  
  
“I hope you’re still healthy and continue to live a long life. I can’t bear the thought of you coming to the end of your human life. I wish you were here with me, able to live for centuries by my side” he continued, his voice rising as his heartbreak grew. He swiped at his tears angrily, wondering when he’ll ever stop crying over this. He wanted to be strong for Siwon and himself, but he constantly found tears sliding down his face whenever he thought of Siwon too much. His heart was always in a state of pain, whether a dull ache when he was busy with his tasks, or a sharp, throbbing pain when he laid down to sleep.  
  
“Happy Birthday Siwon” he whispered, falling to his knees as he succumbed to the sibs that wracked his body.  
  
“It’s the best one yet” a voice called out and Kyuhyun turned, not having heard that voice for almost three years. As he turned, he saw Siwon, as young as the day he left standing a few feet from him, a grin splitting his face. Kyuhyun didn’t think twice as he leapt up and bounded towards him, throwing himself into Siwon’s waiting arms.  
  
“Oh God, I am so glad I’m back. I love you, I love you so much” Siwon choked out, his own tears falling from his eyes as he squeezed the Fae to him, never wanting to let go ever again.  
  
“I love you too. How did you get here?!” Kyuhyun cried hysterically as he held Siwon in a vice grip, the other not caring one bit.  
  
“It seems you have to die in order to come back” Siwon said, running his hands through Kyuhyun’s soft almond hair, pressing kisses to it as he swayed them. Kyuhyun pulled his head away from Siwon’s chest and looked at his face, pain in his eyes.  
“You died?” he asked, heart hurting even though Siwon was there with him now. The human nodded.  
  
“I had a heart attack in the woods where I first got lost. Apparently you’re not supposed to go hiking when you’re as old as I am” he joked lightly, hoping to bring a smile to the face he missed so much.  
  
“But you’re young again. Young and healthy” Kyuhyun argued, stopping Siwon from responding by kissing him hard.  
  
“I missed you so much” Kyuhyun whispered against his lips and Siwon smiled, his heart bursting at his lover’s words.  
  
“Words cannot describe how much I missed you my love” Siwon replied, kissing Kyuhyun deeply. Kyuhyun sighed happily as fresh tears, ones of bliss popped out of his eyes.  
  
“Shh, please don’t cry” Siwon pleaded, wiping the tears away.  
  
“I’m just so happy you’re back. It hurt so bad Siwon, everyday just thinking about you, it hurt” Kyuhyun confessed and Siwon hugged the smaller being to him tighter, upset at causing this precious creature any pain.  
  
“I made a very stupid mistake that we both paid for. My life was unbearable and I know yours was as well. But I’m here now and I have something to ask you” Siwon declared as he pulled one of his hands away from Kyuhyun to dig into his pockets. He pulled the rings out and looked into Kyuhyun’s sparkling eyes.  
  
“Will you do me the great honor of taking part of a Consortium with me? Kyuhyun, will you be mine forever?” he asked, holding out one of the rings. Kyuhyun grinned, more tears leaking out.  
  
“Forever and ever” he answered and Siwon grinned, his dimples showing and making Kyuhyun’s heart flutter. The human slipped a ring onto Kyuhyun’s left ring finger and leaned down to kiss him once again.  
  
“Shall we tell the others the good news?” Siwon asked, a twinkle in his eye. Kyuhyun laughed and hugged Siwon, not letting go until they were back into the village, and even then clinging to the silly human. But Siwon was his silly human.   
  
*************  
  
Years passed by quickly for the pair and they were as happy as could be. Kyuhyun and Siwon had engaged in their consortium the very same day that Siwon returned, Kyuhyun reasoning that he waited long enough. As soon as the ceremony had finished, Siwon had been enveloped by a bright, glowing light and everyone grinned as he became a part of their family for real.  
  
The two lovebirds were enjoying a morning together in their bed, enjoying being close to one another. Even though many years had passed since the day of Siwon’s return, the pair was always reluctant to leave one another for very long. They spent every waking moment they could with each other and often missed the other if they were apart. The others had understood, but as the years continued to pass they teased the pair light-heartedly. The two never cared though, as long as they had each other.  
  
“I Love you” Siwon declared softly, kissing Kyuhyun’s neck where his face currently hid. Kyuhyun smiled as he felt the other nuzzle his skin.  
  
“And I love you” he replied, leaning down to capture Siwon’s lips. As the kiss heated up and the couple was gearing up for some morning sex, they were interrupted by frantic knocking on their door.  
  
“If we ignore them, they will leave” Siwon mumbled against Kyuhyun’s lips as his hands traveled south. This didn’t seem to be the case as the knocking continued.  
  
“We know you’re in there! Come out, we have important news!” they heard Seungri yell. Siwon sighed and pulled away from Kyuhyun, noticing how his lover was already flushed and wanting. He groaned and helped Kyuhyun up and they dressed quickly.  
  
“Now what is so important that you had to interrupt our morning?” Siwon groused, opening the door to let Seungri and Seunghyun in. The Fae was bouncing on the balls of his feet and the other couple noticed that Seunghyun had a real smile on his face for once.  
  
“We’re going to have a baby! I’m pregnant!” Seungri burst out and Siwon’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought it was possible for the male Fae to become pregnant, but this world had surprised him every day so far, so why stop now.  
  
“Congratulations!” Kyuhyun cheered and the pair watched how Seunghyun pulled Seungri to him possessively.  
  
“Nice Shooting” Siwon told his friend with a knowing leer, watching as the smile changed to his signature smirk once again. The two couples chatted for a bit, Siwon and Kyuhyun offering up their congratulations once again. The duo could see how happy the two were, Seungri barely able to contain his excitement and Seunghyun not able to take his eyes off of his glowing mate. Siwon sincerely wished them the best as they left their home, leaving to tell the news to Jungsoo and Kangin.  
  
“Wow, I didn’t know male Fae could become pregnant!” Siwon exclaimed as he closed the door.  
  
“Only some can, there is a special gene in the body of fertile male Fae” Kyuhyun explained, eyeing Siwon. Siwon gazed at him mate, thoughts crossing through his mind a lightning speed.  
  
“And do you carry this gene?” Siwon asked, looking deeply into Kyuhyun’s eyes. Kyuhyun smiled and nodded.  
  
“I do” he answered coyly and he watched as Siwon’s eyes lit up.  
  
“Kyuhyun, let’s make a baby” Siwon suggested, advancing on Kyuhyun, who just laughed and went willingly into his mates arms.  
  
“All in due time my love” the Fae answered, ecstatic that the human wanted a child with him.

Life was never boring in Ixobre, that was for sure.


End file.
